Stay Till the Kettle Sings

Stay till the kettle sings

I had my keys in my hand and my coat on the chair
Telling you I'd be late for a meeting somewhere
But the window had a light I had not seen in years
Telling you I'd be late for a meeting somewhere
But the window had a light I had not seen in years
And your hair was half asleep and your eyes were full of tears
Not sad, just soft, like a morning has a right
You said it quietly, you said it to the light
The radio was low and the bread was in the toaster
Forgot the whole of Monday
Forgot the word for faster
The floor was warm, the toast was brown
I set my coat back down

Stay till the kettle sings
Stay till the kettle sings
Ungahambi, thando lwami
Stay till the kettle sings

I heard your keys and I heard my own heart say
Do not make it easy, do not let him walk away
So I filled the kettle slowly, I took my time with the cup
I counted out the sugar just to keep the moment up
Polepole, mpenzi, the world will keep its place
There is nowhere better than the look upon your face
Your cup is the blue one with the chip along the rim
I have kept it on the shelf for you
Through every winter, every year
I never washed away the tea
I kept the shape of you here

Stay till the kettle sings
Stay till the kettle sings
Ungahambi, thando lwami
Stay till the kettle sings

(nylon guitar rises like steam, piano holds the chord)

Mm, polepole, polepole (mm)
Mm, polepole, mpenzi (mm)

We have both been leaving long before we left
Packing up our feelings, hiding in our work
Little jobs of busy that keep a heart apart
Counting every minute but forgetting the start
I kissed you at the door and never meant it half
I left you with a sandwich and a half-hearted laugh
Ngikhona la, ngikhona, I am right here, I am near
Nothing that is urgent is as urgent as you, dear
Put the phone in the drawer, put the hurry in the sink
Let us learn how long a minute is
Let the kettle take its time to think
Ngikhona la, ngikhona (I am here)
Sit down, sit down, sit down

Listen, listen, here it comes
The little rattle, the little drums
You and I, we do not move
This is what it feels like when we choose

Stay till the kettle sings
Stay till the kettle sings
Ungahambi, thando lwami
Stay till the kettle sings

Nobody will leave first
Nobody will leave first
I will stand here by the stove with my cold hands
Your coat can wait on the chair
You can hold them till the steam begins to rise
Nobody will leave first
Let the whistle be the only one who says goodbye

Stay till the kettle sings
Stay till the kettle sings (ungahambi)
Ungahambi, thando lwami
Stay till the kettle sings (sings, sings)

Stay till the kettle sings... (stay, mpenzi)
Polepole... (mm)
(click)